Electrical socket for dry battery assembly



ELECTRICAL SOCKET FOR DRY BATTERY ASSEMBLY Filed March 6, 1961 /2 .4. 6 ue Z64 Inventor m GEOFFREY- P. KNIGHT ttorn e ys United States Patent 3,177,463 ELECTRECAL SOCKET FOR DRY BATTERY ASSEMBLY Geolfrey Peter Knight, Loughton, England, assignor to The Ever Ready Company (Great Britain) Limited, London, England, a British company Filed Mar. 6, 1961, Ser. No. 93,789 Claims priority, application Great Britain, Mar. 14, 1960, 8,967/ 60 Claims. ((31. 339-191) This invention relates to improvements in electrical sockets in or for electrical dry batteries.

Sockets for this purpose are commonly made of a sheet of electrically insulating material with the tubular part of each contact projecting through an aperture therein so as to extend away from one face thereof and a further sheet of electrically insulating material riveted to the other face of the first mentioned sheet and formed with apertures arranged to overlie the tubular part of each contact to permit access thereto. The main disadvantage of such known sockets is that the tubular part of each contact is unshielded and care must be taken that it does not undesirably contact an electrically conducting part when in use. This usually necessitates the provision of an electrically insulating shield or suitably spacing the socket from the conducting parts with which it is to be associated. The provision of a shield involves additional expense both in labor and material and spacing the socket from the associated conducting parts involves the use of additional space which is highly undesirable when a compact assembly is desirable as in the case, for example, of electric dry batteries.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved electric socket for an electrical dry battery which shall not be subject to the disadvantage referred to.

The present invention, broadly stated, provides in or for an electric dry battery assembly an electrical contact supporting element for an electrical socket, the said supporting element including a sheet of electrically insulating material, at least one electrically insulating sheath formed as an integral pocket in said electrically insulating material, the pocket opening into one face of the sheet, the pocket extending outwardly from the other face of the sheet and having a closed end, and each pocket being shaped to receive and locate a substantially tubular part of an electrical contact, whereby any tubular electrical contact supported in the supporting element is protected and insulated from other parts of the assembly.

Further objects in the invention are to provide an electrical socket comprising an improved electrical contact supporting element and to provide an improved electric dry battery in combination with the said electric socket.

Furthermore detailed objects of the invention will be apparent from the detailed description which follows.

One embodiment of the invention will now be described by way of example, reference being made to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGS. 1 and 2 are respectively top and underneath perspective views of an electrical contact-supporting element according to the invention,

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary top plan view of an electric dry battery embodying an electrical socket according to the invention,

FIG. 4 is a section taken on the line III-III of FIG. 3,

FIG. 5 is a section taken on the line IV-IV of FIG. 3,

FIG. 6 is a plan view of an insulating cover sheet,

FIG. 7 is an enlarged plan view of one electrical contact, and

FIG. 8 is an elevational view of the contact shown in FIG. 7.

In this example, an electric socket indicated generally at 1 and intended to receive the substantially tubular pins of a two-pin plug is associated with an electric dry battery composed of four cells 2 connected in parallel, the electrical connections being shown in FIG. 3. Each cell is of known kind being composed of a substantially cylindrical casing 3 forming one electrode of one polarity and a centrally disposed second electrode 4 of opposite polarity, a packing of pasty material being disposed between the electrodes of each cell to provide the electrolyte. Each cell is capped with an annular disc 5 of electrically insulating material surrounding the projecting part of the associated second electrode 4 and overlying the casing 3 to avoid any short-circuit occurring between the electrodes of the cell. The cells are arranged as illustrated so as to make a compact assembly capable of being received in a close fitting substantially square section carton (not shown). This leaves a substantially diamond section space centrally between the cells the larger part of which may, or may not, as desired, be filled with :a light-weight packing material.

The electrical socket 1 comprises a substantially rectangular sheet 6 of electrically insulating material which, in this example, is polystyrene, a thermoplastic material. This sheet is formed with a shallow recess or depression 7 in one face thereof, the upper face as illustrated in the drawings, this recess 7 extending for the full length of the sheet. A narrow embossed channel 8 opening into the upper face of the sheet 6 is formed in the latter to extend parallel with and centrally of the recess 7, this channel 8 extending from the major part of the width of the sheet 6 but terminating short of the ends thereof. The channel 8, for the major part of its length, has a depth substantially equal to the length of the pins to be accommodated by the socket and forms a stiffening rib which extends from the underside of the sheet and which serves as a means for locating the socket in the above-mentioned diamond section space. Two pockets 9 are formed in the sheet 6 to open into the base of the recess 7 and into the channel 8, the pockets 9 being symmetrically disposed about the centre of length of the channel 8. Each pocket 9 is integral with sheet 6 and has a depth corresponding to that of the channel 8 and is substantially diamondshaped in cross-section to accommodate the correspondingly shaped substantially tubular part 10 and 10' of an electrical contact in position in FIG. 3. Each tubular part 10 has an open side to permit it to expand and grip a slightly oversize pin inserted therein in known manner. As only a two-pin plug is to be accommodated in this example, the tubular parts 10 and 10' of the two electrical contacts are of different sizes of ensure that the correct pin is inserted into the corresponding tubular part 10. The pockets 9 are correspondingly dimensioned to receive the associated tubular part 10 as a slight push fit.

Each tubular part 10 of an electrical contact is provided with two claws 11 which engage the periphery of the associated pocket and is formed integrally with a lug or tag 12, 12 which extends away therefrom :and to which an electrical connection may be made. The claws 11 and the lugs or tags 12, 12' are accommodated in the recess 7 so as not to protrude above the general plane of the upper face of the sheet 6.

The channels 13 are formed in the upper face of the sheet 6, one adjacent each end of the channel 8, the channels 13 extending normal to the channel and having a depth less than that of the channel 8 but greater than that of the recess 7. The channels 13 open at or adjacent to their ends into dimples 14 having a depth greater than the channels 13 and disposed one towards each corner of the sheet 6. The dimples 14 provide supporting projections 17 on the underside of the sheet 6 and bear one on each annular disc 5 to support the socket against pressure exerted thereon when the pins of a plug are inserted o a therein." The channel 8, as mentioned above,;;and the channels 13 provide stilteningribs on theunderside of the sheet 6 although it will be appreciated that the thickness" of the latter is suflicient for it to beself-supporting although some degree of resilient deformation can be tolerated.

A sheet 15 of the same material as the sheet G and,

of the same dimensions is secured tothe upper face of the sheet 6 preferably by a solvent welding technique I although when'the material is a thermoplastic material permit access to the parts of the electrical contacts.

remaining exposed andaccessible, and this width being selected to be such'as to besubstantiallyequal to the corresponding dimensionjof the carton in which the assembly is to be received so as .tolocate the socket 1 .accurately in the carton with respect to the cut-out portion thereof. 1 a a respectively located in the pockets, each contact including In use, the socket is arranged with the projections formed by the dimples 14 hearing on the annular ,discs I 5 and the channel extending diagonally across and Within: Each tubular part 10 of an electricalcontact is sheathed in the the diamond-section space between the cells.

associated pocket 9 and so cannot make electrical contact with a part of the cells-although it can be in very close. V

proximity thereto. All four electrodes-4 are electrically connected togetherand to onelug or tag 12 and'the four electrodes 3 are electrically connected'together and to In a modified embodimentof the invention the projections 17 provided by the dimples 14 may be omitted.

Further, the sheet 6 may be provided with a plurality of pockets each to receive an electrical contact and ;a plurality of contact tagor lug-receiving recesses which extend, away from the pockets in any desired direction. 5

I claim:

1. An electrical socket for use in an electric dry battery assembly, comprising an electrically insulating base sheet integrally moldedwith at least two pockets opening into one face of the sheet and extending outwardly from theother faceof, the sheet, at leasttwo electrical contacts a spring metal grip which is a .push fit in itspocket and is protected and insulated thereby from other parts of the .assembly,'-'and a connecting ,metal 'lug secured to said 3 grip andfextending over. said one face of the sheet,'a'nd a' further sheet of insulating material overlying said lugs and secured to said one face o f the base sheet-and having apertures overlying the pockets to permit insertion of plu'gpins into,'tl1epockets to be engaged by said grips. '32; A socket accordingio claim 1, wherein each said spring metal grip is substantially Ltubular, and said one the other lug or tag 12'. The whole assembly is received a as a close fit in a carton (not shown) which is formed with a cut-out portion intended to overlie the socket 1 and permit access to the tubular parts 10 of the electrical contacts. The whole assembly is robust and the socket 1 occupies the minimum of space and requires the, mini= mum of, components. The sheet 6 is preferably shaped by'a vacuum forming technique and it will be appreciated} that the socket'is relatively inexpensive toproduce and easy to assembly;

It will be understood that the invention is not limited to the provision of an electrical socket intended to 21C: commodate a two-pin plug and tha-tthe socketmay be constructed to accommodate any number of pins,for example four pins, a pocket being formed 'in the sheet 6.

for each electrical contact intended to engage a pin.

When pockets are provided for four pins there'will be: two channels 8 associated with respective pairs of pocketsii' The socket 1 need not necessarily be arranged at the top of the cell assembly. It may be arranged at the side thereof with the projections 17 provided by the" dimples 14 bearing on the cylindrical casing 3 of two adjacent cells and the channel 8 extending into the substantially triangular section space left between the two adjacent cells; if desired the width of the. sheet 6 maybe greater than that of the sheet 15,,the ends of, the tag 12 V 'face, of .the basejsheet is formed with a recess extending from the opening of each pocket to an edge of the sheet, the connectinglug of each contact being located in one of said recesses and extending beyond an edge of the sheet. r 3. A socket according to claim 2, wherein each pocket is shaped to snugly receive and enclose said substantially tubular gripof the contact associated'therewith.

4 .A socket according to claim 1, wherein the base sheet is formed with astiifening and, locating rib extend-,

ing from said otheruface 'of the sheet and connected to saidpock'ets. Y

5 A socket according to claim 1, wh'erein said one face of the base sheet is provided with a plurality of dimples. which project beyond the other face for supporting the.

basesheet above a supporting surface.

-Ref erences Cited 'in the fileof this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,378,952 7' Hawthorne May 24, 1921 3 2,205,878 Eby June 25,1940

2,209,185 Bower et al. e -1 July 23, 1940 2,214,151 Wagar Sept. 10, 1940; 2,433,384 V McLarn Dec. 30, 1947 2,774,051 McCarthy -2 Dec. 11, 1956 2,925,645 Bell et al Feb.'23, 1960 Pifer Oct. 17; 1961 

1. AN ELECTRICAL SOCKET FOR USE IN AN ELECTRIC DRY BATTERY ASSEMBLY, COMPRISING AN ELECTRICALLY INSULATING BASE SHEET INTEGRALLY MOLDED WITH AT LEAST TWO POCKETS OPENING INTO ONE FACE OF THE SHEET, AT LEAST TWO ELECTRICAL CONTACTS OTHER FACE OF THE SHEET, AT LEAST TWO ELECTRICAL CONTACTS RESPECTIVELY LOCATED IN THE POCKETS, EACH CONTACT INCLUDING A SPRING METAL GRIP WHICH IS A PUSH FIT IN ITS POCKET AND IS PROTECTED AND INSULATED THEREBY FROM OTHER PARTS OF THE ASSEMBLY, AND A CONNECTING METAL LUG SECURED TO SAID GRIP AND EXTENDING OVER SAID ONE FACE OF THE SHEET, AND A FURTHER SHEET OF INSULATING MATERIAL OVERLYING SAID LUGS AND SECURED TO SAID ONE FACE OF THE BASE SHEET AND HAVING APERTURES OVERLYING THE POCKETS TO PERMIT INSERTION OF PLUG PINS INTO THE POCKETS TO BE ENGAGED BY SAID GRIPS. 